ChromeOS Device Enrollment Essentials
This guide summarizes the mandatory steps to enroll devices, allowing your organization to enforce all device and user policies set in the Google Admin Console. 1. Prerequisites: Don't skip these Before enrollment, ensure you have: Administrator access: You must use an administrator account with the necessary privileges. Valid license/Upgrade: Enrollment consumes a valid Chrome Enterprise Upgrade, a bundled Chromebook Enterprise device, or Kiosk & Signage Upgrade license. Terms of Service (TOS) Acceptance: You must accept the TOS in the Admin Console (Devices > Chrome > Devices). Note: You must enroll the device before any end-user signs in. If a user signs in first, you must wipe the device and restart the process. 2. Enrollment methods [See video] A. Manual enrollment (The Ctrl+Alt+E Method) Use this for individual device setup or if zero-touch isn't configured. Stop at the sign-in screen: Power on the device but do not sign in. Initiate enrollment: Press the Ctrl + Alt + E shortcut (or select "Enterprise enrollment"). Sign in: Use an eligible admin or user account. Choose license: Select the correct license type (Enterprise or Kiosk & Signage) to ensure the right features are applied. B. Automatic enrollment This method significantly speeds up large-scale deployments: Zero-Touch Enrollment: For new ChromeOS devices purchased through an authorized reseller, the devices automatically enroll upon connecting to the internet. Flex Remote Deployment: The ChromeOS Flex Remote Deployment (FRD) is a solution that enables IT administrators to perform a zero-touch remote installation of ChromeOS Flex onto large fleets of compatible devices running Windows, followed by automatic enrollment. 3. Key admin controls & Best practices These policies, managed in the Admin Console, give you granular control over the process: Enrollment permissions: Control who can enroll a device. It's a good idea to restrict this to IT staff, or only allow re-enrollment of wiped devices to prevent unauthorized new devices from being added to your domain. Asset tracking: Set the Asset identifier during enrollment policy to allow the technician or user to enter the Asset ID and Location during setup. This is critical for accurate inventory management. Enforced enrollment: Use the Initial sign-in (Enrollment controls) policy to Require users to enroll device. This blocks a user from signing in to a non-enrolled device if they are eligible to enroll it, enforcing compliance. 4. Real-world deployment examples Manual setup (New staff): An IT technician uses Ctrl + Alt + E and enters the Asset ID and Location before confirming the enrollment, ensuring the device is correctly tagged and placed in the appropriate Organizational Unit (OU) from day one. Mass deployment (New office): Devices purchased with Zero-Touch automatically enroll upon network connection. Policies are instantly enforced, and the device is ready for the first sign-in without any manual IT intervention. Kiosk/Signage: When setting up a lobby display, the admin selects Enroll kiosk or signage device during the manual enrollment steps. This locks the device down for Kiosk Mode, preventing general user sign-ins as required by the license type. For more information check out the article in the Help Center: Enroll ChromeOS Devices And continue on through our Getting Started User Guides to the left.ChromeOS Device Management: The Enterprise IT Fast Track
We know you're busy, so let's get straight to the point on managing your ChromeOS fleet in an enterprise environment via the Google Admin Console. The foundation: Licensing and fleet access Centralized management is unlocked by a license. The article clarifies your three primary license options for provisioning a ChromeOS fleet: Chrome Enterprise Upgrade (CEU): This is the standalone license (annual) you purchase separately for any standard ChromeOS device to bring it under enterprise control. Chromebook Enterprise (CBE): These devices come with the CEU license embedded for the life of the hardware. This offers a zero-touch, perpetual management solution right out of the box, streamlining large-scale deployment. Kiosk & Signage Upgrade: This is designed specifically for ChromeOS devices used as single-purpose kiosks (like self-service terminals) or digital signage displays. The licenses can either be purchased separately (annual) or bundled with the device (perpetual). Once the appropriate license is secured, enrollment links the physical device to your domain, granting you the full suite of policy controls. 2. Core control: Policies, security, and networking The power of the Admin Console is the ability to enforce settings based on who is signing in and which device they are using: Security & data protection: Enforce enterprise-grade policies like Forced Re-enrollment (preventing unmanaged use after a wipe), remote device disablement for lost assets, and strict sign-in restrictions (e.g., only allowing users from your corporate domain). Seamless network access: Remotely push necessary Wi-Fi profiles, proxy settings, and VPN certificates directly to devices. This ensures employees connect securely to internal resources immediately upon sign-in, regardless of location. Software distribution: Maintain a secure and standardized environment by force-installing, pinning, or blocking corporate web apps, PWAs, and extensions. 3. Example Enterprise Use Cases ChromeOS devices can excel in a range of environments where the device has a dedicated, shared, or public-facing role: Kiosk mode: Dedicate a Chromebase or Chromebox to run a single, purpose-built application, such as a retail Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal, a corporate visitor sign-in app, or a dedicated inventory scanner in a warehouse. Managed Guest sessions: Control shared-use devices in environments like office reception areas, business centers, or hot-desking stations. Sessions are non-account based, with all user data wiped upon logout, ensuring privacy and a fresh, secure device for the next user. Logged in user: Allow individual employees to sign in with their managed enterprise account (e.g., Google Workspace), providing a personalized, secure, and fully managed desktop experience. User data and settings are synced to the cloud, enabling quick, seamless migration to a replacement device and ensuring all corporate security policies and access controls are enforced. Real-World Application The power of ChromeOS management comes from applying these policies dynamically across your organization: Deployment example: Imagine provisioning new corporate laptops. You use the Admin Console to force-install the VPN extension and push the corporate Wi-Fi profile to the Corporate Devices Organizational Unit (OU). The employee receives the device, signs in, and everything is instantly configured. For more information check out the article in the Help Center: About ChromeOS Device Management And continue on through our Getting Started User Guides to the left.
Your first steps with Chrome Enterprise Upgrade
This article will walk you through the initial, straightforward steps of setting up and managing your ChromeOS devices with Chrome Enterprise Upgrade. We'll cover everything from getting started with the Admin console and enrolling your devices to finding helpful support resources and assisting your users with the transition to ChromeOS. Where to begin? Starting with Chrome Enterprise Upgrade is straightforward. Follow these simple steps: Signing up: Begin by signing up for a Trial for Chrome Enterprise Upgrade, either on our website, or directly from the Admin Console if you already have access. Accessing the admin console: The Admin console is your central hub for managing ChromeOS devices. Access it to get started. Using the setup guides: Inside the Admin console, you'll find interactive Setup guides. These guided tutorials will help you navigate the setup process. Locate them by navigating to "Devices > Chrome > Setup Guide" in the left-hand menu. How to start managing ChromeOS devices: Enrollment Enrollment is the key to managing your ChromeOS devices. Helping your users adopt ChromeOS If your users are new to ChromeOS and Chromebooks, here’s the Employee Adoption Kit that you can use to help your users learn more and answer their questions. Getting help and support Need help? But here’s how to find additional support: Contact support: Here’s a quick overview on how to get in touch with support if you’re experiencing any issues. Talk with an expert: If you’re still in the Trial phase and need more support evaluating the solution you can complete this form to Talk with an Expert for more personalized assistance and solution validation.
